Ekström Impresses
in Race of ChampionsSource:
Audi Sport
With an impressive show of his skills Mattias Ekström and his
Audi A4 DTM went into the Christmas break: in front of 62,300
spectators at the nearly sold out Stade de France in Paris
(France) the DTM Champion and his DTM-winning car were among the
leading cast performing for a cheering audience at the legendary
"Race of Champions" to which the Audi driver had been invited
for the first time.

Formula 1 star Michael Schumacher, World Rally Champion
Sébastien Loeb or fellow DTM driver Jean Alesi - the calibre of
the list of opponents would have been difficult to top. And even
though victory in the competition staged according to the
knockout system ultimately went to the Finn Heikki Kovalainen,
Mattias Ekström achieved an exploit in Paris that carries almost
more weight for him personally than overall victory: the
professed hobby rally driver defeated rally legend Colin McRae
right in the first round on the asphalt track specially created
for the event.

"It was really a great honour for me to even be able to compete
with Colin," says Mattias Ekström. "And to beat him on top of
that makes me feel very happy and a bit proud as well." The
prerequisites for the DTM Champion, who had clinched a
dominating title victory by winning four races in the season
just ended, could hardly have been more difficult, though. "It
was the first time ever for me to be driving a World Rally Car -
and with gravel tyres on asphalt at that, in a stadium in front
of so many spectators and competing against the world's best
racers," Ekström reports.

Though Ekström later - following a thrilling duel with double
World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm - had to acknowledge
defeat, having finished less than half a second behind, together
with his Swedish compatriot Kenny Bräck, he then competed
against six other nations in the Nations Cup staged as part of
the event, as well. On balance, the result is positive across
the board: "It's incredible what the organisers have managed to
put on in a football stadium. That was simply a fantastic show
that I'll remember for a long time."

The spectators in the grandstands will likely feel the same way,
after all, Ekström not only left a lasting impression while
fighting against his opponents. Following the quick demo laps in
his Audi A4 DTM, the Champion added a few burnouts, engulfing
virtually the entire Stade de France in the fog of the rubber
burnt by his racing tyres. "Well, if I'm given the chance to
show other racers as well as the fans my Championship-winning
car, I do want to demonstrate everything the car is capable of
doing," Ekström apologised with a smile.